Show SE fa I 1 is AL L STORY y lomi lo mi of eh the 0 LADY ARABELLA by br MOLLY ELLIOT SEAWELL u copyright 1101 bobba boban SYNOPSIS at 14 years of age admiral sir peter nephew richard alyn foll foil deeply in lovo nt at first sight with batly liady arabella stormont mont alio spurned his ut at ten timis the lad iad nn an orphan was waa given a berth as aa on the ajax 1 by tile his giles vernon nephew of 0 sir thomas vernon bedame the boys pal they atten attended dod a theater where hawk shava 3 nephew nc liew saw naw laity lady arabella vernon met phillp overton next in line for or sir thomas Ver vernons estate they started tt it duel di which was interrupted vernon overton and nephew found themselves attracted 1 by pretty lady arabella tho ajax in barrio batilo defeated de hated bronch warships in the mediterranean richard a alyn djin got bot 2000 brizo ile he was waa ca called aed home liv by lady jady its 08 lie was about to blow in lits hla earnings with vernon at a party glyn discovered that lady arabella w wag a poor but persistent gu ito ifo tal talked ali ld bitic much with lier her cousin daprino Da plino pline lady arabella again showed love lova for gaining CHAPTER V continued tho the noise of the controversy was hoard heard all al over town and it was discussed in fit berkeley square as elsewhere lady was waa no longer a subscriber to Al macks nut not being able to rule it she had retired the assembly rhoina not being large enough to hold bold herself and a certain other lady giles had told me that on oil tile the evening of 0 tho the ball lie ho and other gentlemen interested in the victory for mrs Tr Tron chard would escort tier her to the ball so at eight I 1 proceeded to the ladys house housa in jermayn street and saw liar her set forth in state in her chair she was blazing with diamonds and cooka like a stage duchess A long company of gentlemen with their swords attended tier her and giles and my lord led the procession mrs trenchard was the best imitation of a lady I 1 ever saw as she sha sat eat in tier her chair smiling and fanning herself with tile the link linkboys boys gaping and grinning at tier berj and the gentlemen especially such stich as had had a little more wine than shouting way for mrs make way therel there yet it seemed to me as aa it if she were only an imitation after all and that lady hawkshaw with tier her turban and tier her outlandish french had much more mora tho the genuine air of a great lady mrs airs trenchard would go to Al macks on any terms but lady laby hawkshaw would not go except she ruled the roost and fought gallantly with the duchesses and countesses count esses only retiring from the held field because she was waa one against many I 1 followed the merry process procession loa until we got to lying king street st james where the coaches were four deep and footmen in regiments blockaded the street giles and lord were to take mra airs trenchard in and very grand the party looked as they entered ily that time though I 1 was very miserable I 1 remembered that at the same time the next night I 1 might not have my friend I 1 hung around among the footmen and idlers wati watching ching the lights and listening to the crash of the music quite unconscious of tho the light flight of time and was the ball was over and the people began pouring out then afraid to be caught by giles I 1 ran homo home as fast as my legs could carry me when I 1 reached berkeley aqua squa square re it was altogether dark and I 1 r realized c that I 1 was locked out r looked all over the front of the giouse and in my lica heart rt sank there was a blin blind I 1 alley aliey at one ode bide and I 1 remembered that in it opened the window of 0 sir peters study as he called it although as I 1 have said it was more like the cubbyhole cubby hole of the ajax than any other place I 1 can call to mind the window was at least 20 I 1 feet cot from the ground but a waterspout ran up the wall beside it and to a midshipman used to going out on the topsail yard ettas a trifle to get up tip to the window I 1 climbed up softly tried the window and to my joy found it open in another minute I 1 was standing ing inside the room I 1 had my lint flint and steel in my pocket and I 1 groped about until butil I 1 found a candle which 1 I lighted I 1 had often been in the room Ife before fore but its grotesque appearance struck me ma afresh and I 1 could not forbear laughing although I 1 was in no laughing mood there was a regular ships transom running around the wall tho the whole room wah full of the useless odds and ends that accumulate on board a ship all arranged with the greatest neatness and economy of space and there was not one single object in tho the room which could possibly be of the slightest use on shore I 1 looked around to see sea how I 1 could make myself comfortable for the I 1 night and opening a locker in tho the wall I 1 found a collection of old boat cloaks cloak s of sir peters in every stage of dilapidation but all laid away with tho the greatest caro care taking ono one for my pillow and two more inore tor for my coverlet I 1 lay down on tho the transom and blowing out the candle was soon floon in a sound sleep I 1 was awakened at five welock in fit tho the morning by tile tho chiming of a neighboring church bell and at tho the samo same moment I 1 saw the door to the room noiselessly open and lady Ar arabella stormont enter carrying a candle which she shaded with tier hor hand I 1 involuntarily covered my head up tip thinking she sha had probably pio bably come in fit search of something and would ijo be alarmed it a man suddenly jumped froin the pale of boat cloaks hut she went to a glass door which loa led out upon a balcony with stairs into the garden and unlocked the door I 1 had conIe completely tely forgotten about these stairs not being familiar with tile tho loom when I 1 climbed up and got in through the window presently I 1 hoard heard a step upon the stairs and before the person who was coming had time to knock lady arabella opan opened ed the door the kite ro rosy ay dawn of a clear juno june morning made it light outside but inside the room I 1 it t was quite dark except for the candle carried by lady arabella A nian man entered ento iod and us na soon as lie he was in the room sho she noiselessly locked tho the door and unseen by him put the koy key in tier her pocket As he turned and the candlelight ff fell al upon life hla mee face I 1 saw it was philip pv orton amazement was his face and ills his voice too when he spoke 1 I was sent tor for in haste by sir peter just now he said with some confusion at which lady arabella laughed as if it were a very good joke joka that he should tind find tier her instead of sir peter meanwhile my own chaos of mind prevented me front from understanding dundei standing fully what they were saying but I 1 gathered gatli ered that lady arabella Ar had devised some trick in which she had freely used sir peter hawkshawe Hawk shaws name to got overton there in that manner and in that room sir peter was such a very odd fish that no one was vas surprised at what ho he did it was no use striving not to listen they were not five feet FE G opening a locker I 1 found a collection of old boat cloaks of sir peters from rao me and I 1 ia lay y there in terror realizing that I 1 was in a very danger ous position I 1 soon discovered that Ov overtones Over ertons tona reputation for lately ac quiren piety had not done away with a very hot temper he was enraged as only a man can bo be who Is entrapped and demanded at once of lady arabella to be let out of the glass door when lie he found at it locked she refused to tell him where the key was and lie he threatened to break the glass and escape that way do it then it if you wish site she cried and the house and the neighborhood bo and rutn ruin me if you will dut but before you do it read tills this and then know what arabella stormont ont can do for the man she lovest loves she thrust a letter into hla his hand and slipping out of the door to the corridor as swiftly and silently as a swallow in fit its flight she locked it after her overton was a prisoner I 1 in n sir peters room lie he tore the letter latter open read tho the few lines it contained contain ed and then throw threw it flown down with an oath the next ext minute lie he caught sight of me in my surprise I 1 had forgotten all my iny precautions and had halt half risen you hound ho he said aro are you in this internal infernal plot and he kicked the boat bolt cloaks oft me 1 I am not said dadd 1 I coolly recalled to myself by the term he had used t toward 0 me and neither am I 1 a hau hound nd you will kindly remember to 0 o account to me tor for that expression capt overton read that he cried throwing I lady idy A Ara r bellas letter toward tile me I 1 think 14 ho meant not to do a dishonorable thing in giving me tho the letter lefter to read but it was an act of involuntary rage it read this I 1 know that you were to fight mr vernon 11 on at eight tills this morning therefore I 1 beguiled you here for or your life ta Is dearer to me than anything in heaven and earth and I 1 will not let you out until that very hour when it will be too I 1 late lata for you to get to twickenham ham you wilt will not dare to raise LL comi commotion notion in we lionso at this hour which would ruin Us both dut but by the jeopardy in which I 1 i placed myself this night you will know how true Is the love of 0 STORMONT I 1 confess that tho the reading of this letter made me a partisan ot of overton for surely no more unhandsome trick was ever played upon a ge gentleman there was nothing for it but to s sit it down and wait for eight 8 sir 1 r peters family were late risers and there was little danger of detection at that hour so we sat and gazed at each other mute before the mystery of the good and evil in a womans comans r r T love layo I 1 confess tho the experience was wag now to me you will bear rne me witness mr air olyn said overton that I 1 am do taihei heio bere against my iny will but I 1 think it a piece of good fortune that you yon are detained with nw me 1 I will bear witness to nothing sir air I 1 replied until you have given me satisfaction for calling me a hound just now low ajr idear sir pray forgot forget that hasty expression in my rago rage and amazement just now I 1 would have called the commander ln in chief pt tho the forces a hound aprily ia ay accept every apology that a gentleman can make I 1 was quite beside myself as you must h have itte aben been I 1 saw that ho he was very anxious to conciliate mo me for upon my testimony alone would rest the question of of whether lie ho voluntarily or 01 involuntarily failed to appear at the meeting ar i fur for eight i I 1 also perceived the tha strength of my position llon and a dazzling idea presented itself to my mind 1 I will agree said 1 I to testify to everything in your favor it if you will but promise me not to not to I 1 hesitated ashan achand jl to express my wonia womanish nish fears for giles Verno vernonc vernons Ver nR life but lie ho seemed to read my thoughts do you mean not to do mr air vernon any harm in the meeting which will of course take place the instant it can call he be arranged that I 1 promise you for I 1 never had any personal animosity toward mr air vernon ills his blow like in my words just now was the outburst of passion and not a deliberate insult I 1 was overjoyed at this and as I 1 sat gi inning grinning in my delight I 1 must have been in strong contrast to overton in the very blackness of rage the minutes dragged slowly on and we heard the clock strike six and seven the dim light of a foggy morning stole in at the windows not a soul was stirring in the house but on the stroke of eight a light step fluttered near the outer door it was softly unlocked unlock od and lady arabella entered carefully locking the door on the inside after tier her this time in the ghostly half light overton rose and saluted her with much ceremony lady arabella stormont he said you have delayed the meeting between mr air vernon and myself just 24 hours to do it you have put my honor bonor in jeopardy and that I 1 shall not soon forget I 1 beg you to open the glass door and allow me ma to bid you farewell she stopped as it if paralyzed for a moment when I 1 knowing tho the key to he be in her pocket deftly fished it out and opened the door and overton wa walked ked out she could not stop me I 1 was too quick tor for her ber but she ran after me and fetched me a box on the ear car which did more than sting my cheek and my pride it killed in one single instant of time the tha boyish to love vo i I 1 had had for her over ever since the fl first rot leour I 1 had seen her I 1 own I 1 was arald I 1 d to retaliate as a gentleman would I 1 d by y kissing her violently but ill ng on I 1 sped down the tha steps stepa upside after overton not caring to remain alone with the lady arabella I 1 saw her no more that day nor until the afternoon of the next lay day TO BE 1111 4 CONTINUED |